“50,000 Australians who need treatment for opioid dependency will have funded support to access the treatment they need at their local pharmacy at a cost they can afford ($377.3m).”
For decades, the cost of treatment through community pharmacies has been borne by the patient and has been often identified as reasons to leave or to not enter treatment. This is an important measure that the Pharmacotherapy Area-Based Networks, along with many other groups, have been advocating for many years. It will provide recurrent funding support for pharmacies to provide the service, reduce financial pressures on patients, and improve treatment retention.
https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/budget-2023-24-building-a-stronger-medicare